In a high-profile legal battle regarding European support for aircraft manufacturer Airbus, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk praised U.S. efforts to declare such support illegal under world trade rules, despite the World Trade Organization ruling that the European loan mechanism, challenged by the United States, was legal.
Still, Kirk emphasized that "[t]his agency has worked long and hard to make the case that the loans and other subsidies provided to Airbus are inconsistent with WTO rules." Not in a position to offer details, Kirk further stated in a letter that "[t]he administration is not in a position to disclose publicly the content of the interim report in this dispute."
While Kirk did not explicitly character the WTO decision as a U.S. victory, Senator Patty Murray took it a step further. "This ruling is much more than a confirmation that Airbus has been breaking the rules. It is a victory for American workers who have been producing the best planes, but have been fighting an uphill battle."
Murray, whose state is home to Boeing's biggest manufacturing facilities, said she has urged President Barack Obama "to take the strongest possible actions to prevent European governments from providing Airbus further with an additional illegal trade-distorting subsidy."
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